Men and women were generally similar in their symptom presentation, age of onset of bipolar disorder, and in the total number of mood episodes. However, they differed in the type of episode at onset and comorbidity patterns.

Background The birth of an infant requiring admission to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can represent a considerable source of stress for some parents. Currently, little is known about the factors associated with parental stress response to the NICU, especially for fathers. The objective of this study is to compare sources of NICU stress for mothers and fathers and explore variables associated with NICU stress.Method One hundred and seventy‐two randomly selected couples with an infant admitted to the NICU were administered a structured clinical interview and completed self‐report measures, including the Parental Stress Scale (PSS).Results Mothers had the highest overall stress. The altered parental role was the highest source of stress for both parents. Key general predictors of parental stress were dysfunctional personality traits and high anxiety. For mothers, high stress was associated with lower income, de facto relationship, abnormal pregnancy scan and no previous NICU experience. For fathers, high stress was associated with transfer of the pregnant mother due to complications and early experience of paternal over control.Conclusion Identification of factors that contribute to parent stress can enable health professionals to facilitate parent adaptation and coping, thereby promoting optimal parent–infant relationships and subsequent infant development. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

As interventions aiming to improve cognitive outcomes in mood disorders receive increasing research focus, the issue of setting a cut-off level of cognitive impairment for screening purposes becomes a priority. This analysis demonstrates important differences in samples likely to be recruited depending on the definition of cognitive impairment and begins to examine the importance of premorbid IQ in determining who is impaired.

The majority of patients with bipolar disorder have onset prior to twenty years with early onset associated with increased impairment. Despite this, little attention has been given to the psychosocial developmental impact of this disorder. This qualitative study explored the impact of having bipolar disorder on the development of a sense of self and identity. Key findings from this qualitative study identified that for these participants, bipolar disorder had a significant impact in the area of self and identity development. Bipolar disorder created experiences of confusion, contradiction, and self doubt which made it difficult for these participants to establish continuity in their sense of self. Their lives were characterized by disruption and discontinuity and by external definitions of self based on their illness. Developing a more integrated self and identity was deemed possible through self-acceptance and incorporating different aspects of themselves. These findings would suggest that it is critical to view bipolar disorder within a psychosocial developmental framework and consider the impact on the development of self and identity. A focus on the specific areas of impact and targeting interventions that facilitate acceptance and integration thus promoting self and identity development would be recommended.

IPSRT and SSC used as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy appear to be effective in reducing depressive and manic symptoms and improving social functioning in adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder and high rates of comorbidity. Identifying effective treatments that particularly address depressive symptoms is important in reducing the burden of bipolar disorder.